Best Deal I’ve Found on the new Canon EOS RP Mirror-less Full-Frame Camera

After five years of trusty service, I’m trading in my Canon EOS 6D full-frame DSLR camera (trade-in value $370 – now new at about $1,000) and getting the new Canon EOS RP Mirror-less Full-Frame Camera.

Despite all the chatter from the Vloggers on YouTube who don’t seem to actually take any photographs and only seem to evaluate cameras based on their Vlogging needs – like 4K video, flippy screens and the ability to track their faces as they blab away at the camera, here are the features I’m looking forward to compared to my Canon EOS 6D.

More Focus Points

When I went from Panasonic Lumix G3 to the Canon EOS 6D, I was shocked by the limited number of focus points. Whereas on the Panasonic Lumix G3 with its touch screen, I could just tap on the screen, it would focus and take the shot.

The Canon EOS 6D was kind of designed as a landscape photographer’s camera and it only has eleven focus points that you choice by moving around the joystick. It works fine most of the time but every once in a while you need to focus on a spot not covered by one of these focus points.

The Canon EOS 6D screen didn’t move either which is bad for low or high shots. The new Canon EOS EP has a fully rotatable rear touchscreen and
dual-pixel autofocus tech.

Also being a mirror-less camera, the focusing occurs “live”. There is not bouncing off a mirror and then taking the shot, so the focus should be better. I always thought the focus on my Panasonic Lumix G3 was impressive, probably because it was a mirror-less camera.

So, I’m looking forward one of the most important aspects of photography, focus, being easier better all around.

Larger Sensor

My Pany G3 is a 16 megapixel camera. The Canon EOS 6D ($1,049) was somewhere around 20 mp. The new Canon RP has the same sensor as the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, at 26.2 megapixels. That should give me more sizes to offer in my portfolio on Fine Art America as well as give me more wiggle room with cropping.

Cool Features

The Canon 6D Mark II ($1,499) came out but it wasn’t exciting enough to make me want to upgrade, but the Canon RP adds some cool tech. Some cool features are included with the Canon EOS RP that quite frankly I find in my sub $500 GoPro Hero Black 7, like built-in time-lapse. I do a lot of time-lapse work with the GoPro but you only have the one lens to use. With the Canon RP I’ll be able to time-lapse work with a variety of lens.

Another cool feature is the built-in focus stacking. I haven’t really done much focus stacking in the past but having it built-in, I suspect I’ll be doing more of it for macro work as well as for landscapes.

Smaller, Lighter, Quieter

Getting rid of the mirror allows this camera to be smaller, lighter and quieter. As well as having less camera shake as there is no bulky prism or mirror flopping around.

The mirror-less aspect also allows you to actually see the exposure live so you can make adjustments before you take the show.

At 1.07 pounds (with an SD card and battery) and measuring 5.22 x 3.35 x 2.76 inches, the Canon EOS RP is the smallest full-frame camera on the market, even smaller than a Sony A7III, and after a few days in San Diego lugging around a backpack of gear, I am ready for something lighter. Unfortunately, it won’t do anything to make the lens any lighter. Micro-four thirds is the way to go if you want the entire kit to be small and light.

The disadvantage is shorter battery life but carrying around a few extra batteries is no big deal.

I Can Use My Canon Lenses

This is why I wasn’t going to do some dramatic “dump all my lenses and switch systems” people on the Internet seem to do with a bunch of drama. C’mon already. I have a bunch of great Canon glass and I’m not going to cash it in for a third of the value just to switch brands.

Canon is obviously dedicated to this new format and will eventually bring out a pro level camera for the R line. Meanwhile this RP will be a great travel camera and I think I can get my wife used using it faster than the Sony RX100 III I bought her, which we both finding difficult to use compared to Canon’s superior user interfaces.

The Best Deal I’ve Found on the Canon RP Right Now

So in March 2019, Canon is offering the RP with lens adapter and grip accessories included. So you should be getting at least this for #1,299.

If you want to wait until Christmas time, no doubt the RP will drop in price by $200, me thinks.

Otherwise you might as well jump in now and get these accessories which might end up costing you and extra $200 in the future (the grip is $80 and the adapter is like $99).

So I found Ritz Camera to have the best deal as they toss in an extra battery, Transcend SDXC UHS-1 64 GB SD card, travel charger and even a monopod.

I looked closely at other deals and even almost went for one that included a decent looking backpack ($35 value) and a bunch of other silly junk but looking closely I saw that it was missing the lens adapter which is a $99 accessory that is obviously one of the best things to have if you have a collection of Canon glass! So look closely at the fine print and be sure to at least get the grip and lens adapter this month.